


Each Other's Company

by takuuya



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Could be platonic, Could be romantic, F/M, I haven't posted a fanfic in more than five years oh god, POV Third Person, Sam plays guitar for you, Trouble Sleeping, a little ooc
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-07
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-12 12:15:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29260326
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/takuuya/pseuds/takuuya
Summary: Maybe it was the new environment. Maybe it was just the unfamiliar mattress, or the empty corners - but one thing was sure. The farmer had so much trouble sleeping. In hopes of it tiring her out just a bit more, she decides to take a walk around Pelican Town. On her walk, however, soft playing entrances her. Good old rockstar boy, strumming out a romantic ballad with a thumping heart. Who knew Sam had it in him?-Currently just a oneshot, but I'm still considering if I could manage to make it a series.
Relationships: Sam & Female Player (Stardew Valley), Sam/Female Player (Stardew Valley)
Kudos: 17





	Each Other's Company

**Author's Note:**

> Initally the opening chapter to a fanfic I wanted to indulge myself in lmao but I decided to post it on its own anyway. Sam might be ooc here, sorry! I just imagine him to be a different kinda guy when it's just the two of you during the wee hours. I honestly just CTRL+F replaced all the preexisting names and switched them out to bracketed entries, so apologies if I miss anything! Also I know nothing about guitar so;; god I'm so sorry.
> 
> Oh, and this was also written with platonic-Sam in mind, but I might change that if this ends up a series!

01:53 AM. [Name] [Surname] could not sleep.

She tried her absolute best to will herself into slumber – exercised to tire herself out, kept her eyes shut for hours on end, drank chamomile tea, counted sheep, sat in darkness to clear her thoughts – yet nothing, absolutely nothing, worked. She yanked at her hair in frustration. It had been a week of not having a peaceful, fulfilling sleep. This was certainly going to come back around and bite back at her soon; and it gnawed at her to think that this would end up with medical expenses.

She began to bounce her leg impatiently on the floor below. [Pet Name] groaned and stretched at the foot of her mattress at her movement before settling back to sleep. [Name]’s lips pulled into a frown and she sighed.

She didn’t want to disturb her pet any more than she already had. In any case, she concluded she couldn’t ever fall asleep if she didn’t shake the tingling out of her system first. Having only been in the valley for a few weeks, she hadn’t gotten around to tending to the fields very much (she instead focused on getting herself on her feet first), and therefore had far too much overgrowth.

It wouldn’t do very well to walk through such, so she decided to get up and take a stroll through town instead.

Pelican Town was peaceful at night. It was completely empty and dead silent, but not once did she feel unsafe being out alone.

It was far from the feeling she used to have in the city when walking home was a terror and a daily gamble. Approaching the staircase heading north of the town square, [Name] began to hear the faint music of an acoustic guitar. It was slow and soothing, mesmerizing as it strummed in tune with the quiet and gentle chirping crickets and occasional rustle of the bushes.

She wondered: if she closed her eyes and listened, could she finally eventually fall asleep?

Entranced by the melody, [Name] made her way up the steps. She wasn’t shocked to find at the top of the stairs that it was Sam. He sat propped against the bench, immersed in his own world. He was completely unaware of [Name] being audience to him.

Not wanting to startle the boy, [Name] knocked gently on the trunk of the nearby tree. Sam’s music trailed away as he lifted his head to find [Name] standing nearby.

“Oh,” he blinked, but quickly offered a warm smile. “Hey, farmer. You’re up late, huh?”

Sam fixed his posture and gently put his guitar down as [Name] began to approach him.

“Yes. You are, too.” She said as she walked over to him. “You’re very talented. I was completely absorbed by your playing. What song was that?” she asked. “Oh, er,” Sam’s hand came up to behind his neck and a shy smile tugged at the corner of his lip. “That was—um, hey, look, I don’t know how to say this without sounding full of myself.” He began with a laugh. “But that was just on a whim. I was just pulling some strings to try and find some inspiration for a new track.”

To say [Name] looked impressed would have probably sounded like an understatement.

“So you’re telling me that was just improv?” she asked in bewilderment.

“Yeah! Yeah, that’s the word.” Sam agreed, following up with, “Oh, but I’m seriously saying that wasn’t anything impressive or anything. It was just—just transitions from one chord to another. It seriously isn’t hard once you know how to play a guitar, I swear.”

“Regardless, though, I’m still plenty fascinated.” [Name] complimented. “Learning the guitar is tough. I only ended up trying to learn it for a few days before the bruising on the tips of my fingers got too much for me. So, hearing you play so clearly and effortlessly,” she exchanged her words for a gesture towards him, a soft chuckle following. “That alone’s pretty damn cool, Sam. You should give yourself more credit.”

Sam felt his heart stop momentarily and his ears heat up. He laughed it off. “Have you always been this persistent with compliments? I should’ve gotten to know you more long ago.” He said. They exchanged laughs, careful not to be too loud as to disturb the slumbering town below. “Maybe,” [Name] continued. “Then I’d be your everyday flatter machine.”

“Hm,” Sam pretends to think. He begins to nod slowly. “That doesn’t sound too bad.”

Another round of quiet laughing passes between them.

As they do, Sam returns to his earlier posture, bringing the guitar back into position. “Would it be cool if I played something?” he asks. [Name]’s eyebrows push together, and a laugh sits on the tip of her lips. “Why wouldn’t it be? I’d love to hear you play some more. Would it be cool if I stayed around a little more?” she returned playfully. A smile cracks on Sam’s lips.

“Duh,” was all he said before turning his focus to his guitar. As he toyed with the strings, getting into the feel of it, he began to speak softly. “So, um, this is a song I wrote a few days ago. I was hoping someone would give me some feedback before I do anything with it. I was wondering if you’d do just that?” he asks sheepishly. [Name] shifts closer. “Of course! I’m all ears.” She remarks enthusiastically.

Sam makes a small _‘well, here goes,’_ and exhales heavily before beginning to pluck the opening chords and guiding his fingers across frets.

This time, his music was more soulful. [Name] didn’t know Sam very much, but this was indeed one of the few times she saw him to focused. His lips quivered as if debating with himself whether he should vocalize together with it. Sam decided not to. He pours in his emotions through his fingers instead, keeping the same power words could have had and manifesting them through his polished instrument. Even the whistle the strings made as he slid from one chord to another was charming in its own way.

[Name] closes her eyes, letting herself fall into the trance of the melody.

She wasn’t a connoisseur of music, but she knew what she liked to hear. Sam’s playing was one of them. There were no words that passed in the fleeting moments, but it was as intimate as any other. [Name] swayed gently to the music. Her head felt light, but in a good, refreshing kind of way.

When Sam slowly trailed away, it was only then that [Name] realized how deep in thought he had managed to get her.

By the time she’d opened her eyes, she found Sam looking at her intensely, blue eyes quivering the slightest bit. “How was it?” he asked. His voice was barely above a whisper. It sounded as though he was too scared to even touch on the topic. This was definitely unlike the brash, obnoxious boy she thought he was.

“It’s beautiful.” She responded in the same soft voice Sam used. She hoped he would believe her sincerity when she said it. “Don’t be nervous. It really is beautiful. It was kind of hypnotizing in a way. A good way.” She reassured. A smile pulled at her lips, hoping it would ease him.

When Sam’s shoulders relaxed and his expression loosened up enough to have him sigh in relief, she was glad. “Really?” he asked, more to himself than to her.

“Yes.” She admitted confidently. “Who is it for?”

All the calm that Sam had managed to muster up suddenly disappeared once she asks the question. A look of panic and terror pulled on Sam’s face.

“What?” he sputtered. “No—oh, no, no. It isn’t really, like, written for anyone. In particular. It’s just—I was just writing some tracks. I post a few, you see, it helps pull in a little more cash, so.” Sam says, waving his hand dismissively. He mutters a little _‘it really isn’t for anyone,_ ’ under his breath. He was defensive but looked extremely defenseless. Sam reached up and scratched behind his neck, fingers also moving to behind his reddening ears.

[Name] realized it really _was_ written for someone specifically. She couldn’t help the smile it pulled on her.

“Oh, is that it? My bad.” She says, trying to help Sam calm down. “But can I just say that if, _hypothetically_ , there _was_ a person behind that song and you’d give it to them, I can tell you that they’d be moved, Sam. They’d find it very beautiful, too.”

Sam collected himself. He looked over at her. “Yeah? You think so?” he asked hopefully. He caught himself and added, “I mean, _hypothetically_ , of course.”

[Name] couldn’t help her chuckle. “Hundred percent.”

“Thanks, farmer.” Sam said, the vigor and confidence returning to his eyes once again. He looked down at the empty town square below. “This was fun, but I should head home now. I still have work tomorrow, and mom’s definitely gonna burst if I don’t wake up on time.” He said, beginning to pack his guitar back into its bag. “Oh, definitely. That’s alright, I should too. Let’s walk together.” [Name] said as she stood up and dusted her shorts, waiting as Sam did the same.

As they walked down the steps, [Name] spoke, “Thanks for tonight too, Sam. It was nice hearing music live again.”

Sam offered her a kind smile. “Sure. Anytime, farmer. See ya ‘round.” He waved at her, heading straight towards Willow Lane. [Name] turned right to head back to the western farm.


End file.
